


Take a Shot: Scarhead Edition

by Manticore_x5



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Based on Tumblr Post, Draco in Denial, Drarry, Hogwarts Era, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Harry, Slytherins Drinking Game, The Slytherins are Fed up, sucker for happy endings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:22:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28169952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manticore_x5/pseuds/Manticore_x5
Summary: There is something weird going on at the Slytherin table.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Take a Shot: Scarhead Edition

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the Tumblr (old but gold) post: the Slytherins make a drinking game where they take a shot every time Draco Malfoy talks about Harry Potter. Also known as the night Madam Pomfrey had to save an entire dormitory from alcohol poisoning.
> 
> Not sure if this has been done before but here’s my take on this hot mess. Thanks for reading! Kudos and feedback are always greatly appreciated. XOXO

There is something weird going on at the Slytherin table.

Wouldn’t be the first time – the entire house is renowned for its frequent and collective crazy prank attempts on the rest of Hogwarts students. Nevertheless, the conspicuous lack of Slytherins (third years and above) including a certain blond git is too suspicious and rather alarming to be ignored. Ten minutes inside the great hall and this anomaly is impossible to avoid. And, Harry has a strong inkling that whatever this weirdness is supposed to be, it can be successfully traced back to the evil ingenious of his arch-rival, Draco Malfoy: also, wouldn’t be the first time.

Maybe he is giving the ferret too much credit or maybe it’s his trusted instincts backing the hypothesis, Harry couldn’t help frowning at the blank space which still somehow manages to mock as though Malfoy charmed the specific area into continuing their tradition despite his absence. He’s well habituated to glaring in this direction, that one spot in particular, to stop now or let a simple inconsistency such as Malfoy ditching breakfast to deter him. A quick glimpse reveals Snape is missing in action too. Can’t be a coincidence – ninety percent of Slytherins and their head of house just don’t choose to randomly skip breakfast on the same day at the same time.

That’s not how Harry Potter’s life usually works and he will be the first person to admit this!

The enchanted ceiling reflecting clear blue skies with occasional cloud or two and birds resembling dark specks flying past is no different from any other day of this week. In fact, there is nothing explicitly telling within these huge walls that suggest anything out of ordinary even took place, except for the lone table in the corner with a pitiful amount of students huddling close and being uncharacteristically silent.

The light glinting off the few golden plates and glasses filled with scrumptious offerings in front of the meager bunch of odd first and second year students decked in silver and green scarves, food mostly untouched drives home how serious this entire situation is. Something really fishy is going on and the mystery of it is driving Harry spare.

Last he checked, today is still a weekday which meant classes to be attended and students to be present in the great hall before hurrying off to those said classes. Then why is no one making a big deal out of this?

Yet, from the excited chatter and unusual amount of background noise, it is clear Harry ain’t the only person to pick on this glitch in their trusted routine.

Speaking of, where is the haughty git and rest of the Slytherins hiding anyway? What the hell is even going on? It feels a little extreme for a prank and more on the lines of an actual crisis or something. At least, Harry can count on Snape not partaking in any madness his favorite students could come up with. This leaves the only option that something weird went down in dungeons enough to warranty this grade A Houdini act.

\--

“Harry.” Hermione nudges him from further contemplation or rather zoning away in the direction of Malfoy’s empty spot. Ron seated with his back to the Slytherin table, is oblivious as ever to the palpable tension in the air, busy filling his plate with bacon and sausages. His own plate of plain toast sits untouched.

He gets rid of the mist of apprehension much like a wet dog shakes off the water droplets and scrunches his nose, intrigued to hear her theory. Besides, Hermione is almost never wrong in her calculations and logical jumps. Except perhaps where Malfoy is involved and Harry’s gut insists on his culpability regardless of any reasonable deductions hinting otherwise.

She is fumbling with a silver fork in hand, lips pulled tight in a small frown. “Did… um, something happen last night after the Quidditch practice?” The quiet tone and tiny creases around her eyes bring attention to the worry scarcely suppressed within the warm browns.

Err, what? Harry is so confused and says as much.

“What does our evening practice have anything to do with the Slytherins playing a twisted version of hide and go seek today?”

More furious lip biting and pinched expression follows his bewildered query. “Ah, it was the only thing I could think of that makes some sense out of this.” At his incredulity, she hurries to clarify. “I mean, the left over Slytherins are obviously glowering at you. So, I thought maybe…” Hermione carefully trails off.

_‘That maybe he’s involved.’_

She doesn’t have to finish the sentence for Harry to connect the dots of that particular thought.

Jerking up, he allows his eyes to wander past the fixed position and the resulting vestige is extremely damning. Pairs of mistrustful and angry eyes take turns to glare accusingly at …yup, him. There are several brands of hateful stares he had garnered over the years to differentiate instantly when Harry is unwittingly in middle of a coup and when he’s the target of a vicious propaganda. This though? Obviously falls under the latter category. As to be expected, Hermione’s presumption that he happened to be in some manner mixed up in this mess legit seems to be holding water.

_But was he, though?_

He couldn’t remember anything odd taking place on the grounds last night. The Slytherins practice ended way before theirs began. Sure, during the brief moment both teams crossed paths, they all had exchanged typical slurs but nothing’s amiss in that. Malfoy has been obnoxiously snarky as always while he returned the favor, the best he could. Same old dance of ire and spite.

Harry racks his brains thinking if perhaps he did, astoundingly managed to piss of the entire Slytherin house without noticing it. Stranger things have surely happened … so, it’s not totally outside the realm of possibility. Yet, what could he possibly have done to ensure this level of sulking from a house that prides itself for their thick skin?

\--

“What are you guys talking about?” Ron sees fit to finally join them, taking a sip from his cold pumpkin juice. His loud question gains the trio unwanted focus which is hardly new to them after years of attending Hogwarts.

Not that Harry blames Ron. Sometimes, he starting to gather, it is better to remain oblivious and safe from these kinds of dangerous thoughts evading senses. He would love to trade places but knows this ship sailed a long time ago. Particularly from the exact moment a specific pompous git strolled up to him and casually offered his hand in friendship which Harry rejected, forming an instant life-long rivalry with the said bastard in all his eleven year old glory. All good, no regrets … just a major pain in ass, though.

“The case of the missing Slytherins, mate. Sounds like the title of a bloody murder-thriller, ain’t it?” Dean cuts in before Harry could respond, a shrewd look thrown his way, “That’s all everyone seems to be talking about. Pretty sick stunt they pulled on rest of the school. Gotta say, those snakes are sodding good at this whole teamwork spirit.”

Harry blurts out, wanting further validation. “Really? And no one has any idea what could be up with those lot? Not even the Hufflepuffs?”

Against all odds, the infamous prickly and malicious Slytherin house managed to befriend or perhaps the right term here is, adopted practically a bulk of Hufflepuffs, in some sort of an ancient tradition passing resiliently down from generations. While, the house of spoilt brats are no less mean to the badgers than to the rest of two houses, they still show up to defend their Hufflepuff friends’ honor without fail. They kind of got a ‘grumpy cat bullying a golden retriever’ in the name of friendship and ‘viciously-attacking-anyone-who-offends-their-pet’ weird relationship going on for them.

This unlikely yet powerful alliance of Slytherin-Hufflepuff houses is the stuff of legends on par with and sometimes even surpassing the history of feuds Gryffindors share with the Pureblood propaganda house.

So, if anyone has a chance in hell of dragging the undisclosed information straight from the serpent’s mouth, it’s the trusted and kind badgers.

Harry waits with a bated breath to have his premise backed up.

“Nah, mate. Whatever is going on is strictly under the wraps. We saw few Hufflepuffs approach the second year snakes but they aren’t budging an inch.” Dean’s swift yet negative reply leaves him reeling with more questions.

“Didn’t you guys hear?” Lavender Brown leans forward, a few seats away from their lot, her blue eyes shining brightly in unmasked glee. “Padma, Parvathi’s twin sister was saying earlier–”

Beside Harry, Hermione murmurs rather sharply under her breath. “We all know who Padma is, Lavender.” Although, Harry is pretty sure he’s the only one who heard her sarcastic comment. Still, he is rather intrigued by Brown’s opening statement and pays complete attention to the notorious gossiper’s words. 

“… Two of her younger housemates swear they saw Snape escorting a large group of Slytherins to the hospital wing last night. Rumor has it that Madam Pomprey even closed the wing due to full house and initiated the procedure to activate a temporary medical wing on the second floor for emergencies. It seems this kind of action was last performed when a major outbreak of Spanish flu was rampant.”

A pregnant pause follows Lavender’s ominous report and they all shift uneasily as implications and possible theories start flooding their minds.

The solemn moment is however shattered when Parvathi offhandedly remarks, contradicting her friend. “Yeah. But Padma also said those students were awake for thirty hours straight and counting at that time, running some experiment and prone to hallucinations as a side-effect. Plus, I heard from Susan in Hufflepuff that hospital wing is temporarily closed due to some repairs.”

“Hmm…so, we have two unreliable accounts insisting Slytherins are sick and a friend confirming the hospital wing is unavailable around the same time, huh.” Dean voices the same red flag raising thought Harry shares.

Neville coughs, gaining their focus. “Er, maybe it is a contagious magical malady situation, the school doesn’t want us to know about?”

This breaks a fresh round of points and counter-arguments, an energetic debate on who’s most likely to be right. Harry gawks at the increasingly erratic suggestions their friends seem to come up with, each more crazier than the last. Hermione valiantly tries to talk reason while Ron sips his juice enjoying the chaos.

Only Harry seems to genuinely care and grow frustrated by the minute. He forcibly inhales his frustrations, cataloguing the speculations thrown left, right and centre. 

Seamus suddenly pipes up, next to his dark-skinned best friend. “Oi, you guys interested in starting a little betting pool?” He indicates a bunch of their classmates and few other Gryffindors from Ginny’s class, who immediately acknowledge them in varying degrees of interest. Surprisingly, Neville also seemed to take part in this betting madness.

“What are the stakes?” Ron asks with a little too much enthusiasm.

Harry, however, is back to checking out the opposite table at the interruption – some habits are hard to break than others, not as if he is trying to be honest. Although, he is soon dragged to the present by his best friend’s lecture on ethics and moral grey grounds.

“Guys!” Hermione interrupts, her patent _‘you should be ashamed of yourselves’_ tone coming through. “Couldn’t you stop messing around for once? For all we know, something really horrible could have happened–”

And … Harry is back to spacing out the impromptu sermon. His mind busy trying to consider every ghastly conspiracy theory he could think and soon defying as preposterous.

Maybe if he does some sleuthing of his own using his father’s invisibility cloak …

\--

There is a simple way this puzzle could be put to an end. At least the part of question as to where the Slytherins are located. The Maurders map is safely locked in his trunk upstairs in the Gryffindor dormitory. All Harry had to do is rush to the tower, collect the piece of parchment and there mystery solved. The why part, however will continue to haunt him until precise answers are found.

Of course, there is nothing stopping Harry from ditching his arguing friends to collect the map tight now. But the slight chance Malfoy (and his housemates, yes it’s not as though Harry forgot about them) might walk in through those gigantic doors any second keeps him rooted till the last possible second.

He half-heartedly chews the toast and helps himself to the fruit, Hermione must have discreetly added to his plate when he’s busy brooding.

What did Malfoy do this time? Is Hermione correct as usual in her assessment and something sinister is going on behind the scenes with the Slytherins? Harry wanted to ditch the remainder of breakfast himself to investigate but a warning glance from Hermione, stealthily slipped without halting her heated argument stops him in his tracks: guilt and annoyance warring for dominance in his chest.

\--

Much later, after all the Slytherin classes have been canceled for the day and Harry consulted with the Maurders map, the highly troubling case of the missing Slytherins is solved…to an extent

Although prepared to an extent, the surprise and shock still catches them unawares. The map clearly shows majority of Slytherins located in the hospital wing while the remaining ones are cooped up in the Dungeons. Lavender Brown’s report hits truth on the nose then. Alas, the mystery only intensifies the more details slowly trickle out.

His attempts to sneak inside the hospital wing are thwarted thanks to additional security measures employed by apparently, Dumbledore himself.

All the dead-ends and obstacles only make Harry more adamant on solving this baffling secrecy at any costs. And he will, Harry is sure of it. It’s just a matter of time and sheer dumb luck!

***~***~***

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Thoughts please?


End file.
